DLYohn Leadership Lessons

leadership lessons

quotables from the World Business Forum (www.wbfny.com)

and the Retailing Summit (http://retailingsummit.org) 2010 Denise Lee Yohn, Inc.

1

world, business, and thought

leaders shared the lessons theyve learned about leadership at

World Business Forum(www.wbfny.com)

and

The Retailing Summit (http://retailingsummit.org)

here are the best bits

leadership lessons



2

lead change before you have to;

complacency is the biggest danger

we have change is happening all around us be on the offense

Jack Welch, former CEO of GEcurrent founder of the Jack Welch

Management Institute

leadership lessons



3

[achieving success]

is not like climbing Mt. Everest you cant get to the top and stay there;

its more like surfing

Rachel Bishop, VP Merchandising, Strategic Planning & Analysis, Walgreen

leadership lessons



4

inertia is always the enemy of change

Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States

leadership lessons



5

luck is what happens when

preparation meets opportunity

Larry Magee,President of Bridgestone Retail Operations

leadership lessons



6

face reality as it is,

not as you want it to be

Jack Welch, former CEO of GE;current founder of the Jack Welch


leadership lessons



7

theres power in recognizing what you do well --

and not trying to be something youre not

Tony Rogers, SVP Brand Marketing, Walmart

leadership lessons



8

the best ideas are the simplest

and totally obvious

but sometimes they evade you for years

Steve Levitt, author of Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics

leadership lessons



9

leaders have followers

they set high expectations and are

resolute in face of adversity;

when others say it cant be done, they say it can --

and they make it happen

Bill McDermott, co-CEO SAP

leadership lessons



10

alignment is the leaders work of art (agreement has nothing to do with alignment)

James Damian, SVP Experience Design Group, Best Buy

leadership lessons



11

the main job of a CEO is

developing talent --

the team that fields

the best players wins

Jack Welch, former CEO of GE;current founder of the Jack Welch


leadership lessons



12

best leaders hire over their heads every time

Bill McDermott, co-CEO SAP

leadership lessons



13

you have to be the coach --

people are not

the responsibility of the HR dept

Carlos Brito, CEO of InBev

leadership lessons



14

protection of turf and policies

are the disease of companies;

youve got to kill the verticals in the company

James Damian, SVP Experience Design Group, Best Buy

leadership lessons



15

never confuse power with leadership;

I can get you to do anything if I put a gun to your head but it doesnt mean I have led

Jim Collins, author of Built to Last, Good to Great, How the Mighty Fall

leadership lessons



16

Level 5 Leaders share a special brand of humility:

they have absolute burning ambition for the

cause and company (not themselves)

combined with

the will to do whatever it takes

(as long as it doesnt breach the core values)

Jim Collins, author of Built to Last, Good to Great, How the Mighty Fall

leadership lessons



17

dreaming big and dreaming small take same

amount of energy, so dream big!

Carlos Brito, CEO of InBev